City of Phoenix ensures water flows smoothly during Final Four weekend

There’s a lot more to planning and hosting the Final Four than putting up banners, offering special public transit services and opening its doors and parks for fan activities.

The city of Phoenix has gone to great lengths to make sure essential services are running at full capacity, not just for the people attending the downtown events, but for the residents and businesses who rely on those services each and every day. The City of Phoenix gave 3TV and CBS 5 News a “behind-the-scenes” tour of how everyone’s most precious resource is flowing smoothly on the Road to the Final Four.

“We’re expecting tens of thousands of visitors and that means an increase in our water use in a concentrated time frame," Water Services Deputy Troy Hayes explained.

Bars, restaurants and hotels will use a lot of water. And then, well you know, people will have to “go.” It’s called “The Big Flush\” when fans throughout the region and at the University of Phoenix Stadium all take a break during half-time. But come game days, just know that someone somewhere is in charge.

“We are always working in the background, moving, testing and treating water so it should never be something you are worried about,” Hayes said.

Dawn Rogers, the president and CEO of the Phoenix Local Organizing Committee, says she appreciates the City’s efforts to make sure Phoenix is ready – from light rail to the loo.

“And while we are busy creating activities and other programming, it’s just so nice working with the City of Phoenix, who is working behind the scenes, flushing out the details during our big weekend," she said.

For more information about the Final Four in downtown Phoenix, please visit Phoenix.gov/FinalFour and follow #PHXFinalFour and #FinalFour on social media.